1. Alicia Kittles

    Staying Focused

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    Most of the time when I'm writing I cannot stay focused for some reason. The smallest thing can catch my attention and cause me to get off track with my writing. I like to listen to music when I'm writing because I think it'll help me stay focused a li...
  2. Simone Wallace

    Essay Erosion

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    My My teacher for my western civ class only gives out three tests a semester, so you have to do good on all of these tests to be able to pass the class. He also does powerpoint slides, with very little information. You have to listen to him and write d...
  3. Shelbi Calhoun

    Blog Post 6

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    We are doing another wiki project this week and this time I’m working alone. It feels strange working alone because the last couple of weeks we have been in groups. I use to be hate working in groups before I took this class, now I actually like it. My problem this week is that I’m not in a group and I’m afraid that I won’t my best on this project. I think that I have gotten so used to working in a group, that I’m afraid my project won’t be its best because I’m working alone. I mean I know I can produce a good project alone, but it may not be as good as the people that are working in groups. Sometimes I need motivation for me to my work and being in a group was my motivation, but now that I’m working alone I have to be my own motivation and get my work done.


                My challenges this week is working alone and trying to do my best on this project. I know it’s not a hard project, but I know that I ‘am able to do it. So I hope do a good job on this wiki project. I also know that if I need help with anything that anyone of my classmates will help me.

  4. Bryce Davidson

    post 6

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    As were still on the subject of things we learned and challanges I'm writing on what I've learned from reading On Writing and the challanges I face writing on the Wikipedia project. I've learned alot more than I thought from reading On Writing. Stephen...
  5. Dakota Hill

    What does it take to become a good writer

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    In my last blog post I talked about how there is a difference between a good writer and a bad writer. Today I am going to talk about how to become a good writer because isn't that what we all want to be is a good writer. As we all know with anything yo...
  6. Chrishawn Elliott

    Technology Will Fail You!

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    All of the biggest technological inventions created by man - the airplane, the automobile, and the computer - says little about his intelligence, but speaks volumes about his laziness. ~Mark Kennedy With this being our sixth blog post you would th...
  7. Chrishawn Elliott

    Adjusting To Uncomfortable Situations

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    Adjust is to make comfortable or suiting. There are times in our academic adventures and personal lives when we might feel that we are in a tumble drier of stressful situations. Frequently we get accustomed to our daily routines which makes even slight...
  8. Ryan Smith

    Work In Progress

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    The challenges I have about writing is putting my words on paper or having my thoughts come out in an organized manner. I know i should start earlier on these papers or blogs. I should just work smarter on these blogs so that I get these done in a bett...
  9. Ryan Smith

    Work In Progress

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    The challenges I have about writing is putting my words on paper or having my thoughts come out in an organized manner. I know i should start earlier on these papers or blogs. I should just work smarter on these blogs so that I get these done in a bett...
  10. Ashley Edmonds

    Social Vs. Traditional Learning

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    There is no argument that growing up in the digital era, solely dependent on the technological interaction with our peers, that we as students struggle with academic writing. A lot of times when assigned research papers it’s like pulling teeth to write. I become extremely stressed about the assignment and usually procrastinate to avoid the anxiety. However, because we DO live in a digital and social world there are endless possibilities to learning and teaching that can spice up a traditional class.

    Recently I read the article “Blogs vs. Term papers” by Matt Richtel. In this article Richtel talks about the stress term papers bring students and teachers and also discusses the arguments (pros/cons) of using a social media based classroom.

    In the article I find myself asking “WHAT?!?”. William H. Fitzhugh protests against moving away from rigorous academic writing, and believes the solution is not blogs but more reading. Fitzhugh also proposes what he calls the “page a year” solution: in first grade, a one-page paper using one source; by fifth grade, five pages and five sources. –again WHAT!?   Could you imagine being responsible to write a five page paper with sources before even completing middle school. I do agree that our generation has shied away from reading and extensive writing, but this method might just be a little too extreme.  

    Personally I really enjoy this style teaching. (Teaching in a more interactive environment)I believe by using tools that students already use, like blogs, can be an enriching way to teach. I agree that blogging is less stressful. I actually think that having classes with blogs are a refreshing change. - 1.) I do not feel the urge to OD on coffee or wake up wishing I could just have an IV of caffeine. 2.) I learn more with constant feedback on my work. 3.) Students have the chance to be the teacher. – I agree that students should have some scene of academic writing but outside of school when is this relevant to most people. I think Professor Davidson had the right idea by using blogs and teaching students cover letters, business letters, and have them write short stories and essays about their chosen careers.
  11. Ryan Godhigh

    Blogs vs. Term Papers

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    If I had a choice on whether to do an 5 page paper or an 300 - 400 word blog I would definitely choose the blog only because the length and how long it would take me to write an A+ essay for class. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would pick to write ...
  12. Ninja Crash Token

    Classroom Challenge: Group Work

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    Now, HERE'S something that we all have to face at some point or another--group work. I'm going to be incredibly frank about this: I do not prefer group work at all. I'm a lone wolf in this type of situation. Yet, that sort of viewpoint wouldn't help me...
  13. Melonie

    How The Enviroment Effect My Writing

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              Rain, sunshine, freezing, warm, and snow are different environmental happenings that effect my writing. Certain weather brings out the best in me and in my writings.
                When it rains, I have notice, I seem to write about love and relationships. It’s something about the rain that bring out the more gentle and vulnerable side of me. I don’t know what it is. Maybe, it’s the way the rain isolates me to my house. It could be the way the rain takes all my energy somehow and makes me want to do nothing but snuggle up with that special someone.
                Sunshine seems to always put a smile on my face. It amazes me how it can be cold outside and the sun is shining as bright as it would on a hot July day. The sunshine encourages me. I tend to write about things I have overcome because it reminds me of how strong I am.
                You will think that by me being from Saint Louis, Missouri that I would be used to freezing weather conditions; well I’m not. I can’t get use to that, especially that wind chill weather that makes me feel like I went out in the cold naked but I have on sweat pants, long sleeve shirt, coat and thermals. These days I always write about what I would be doing if it wasn’t so cold outside, and how I hope I don’t get sick if I’m forced to go out in it.
                There’s nothing like a warm day! These days I’m really hard to find. I’m not in one place too long. Shopping is at the top of my list. Yes, I am a shopaholic! The girlies and I meet up and have so much. I tend to just write what I did on warm days, after I get home.
                On snow days, my writings are about random things. I just relax and unwind. The snow doesn’t have a big impact on my writings as the types of days.

  14. Torrence Grady

    Blogs vs. Term Papers

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    After reading the New York Times article, Blog vs. Term Papers, I completely agree with Cathy N. Davidson, an English professor at Duke, and believe that the term paper should be eradicated. The term paper can be very stressful to students. I also conc...
  15. Alicia Kittles

    Blogs vs. Term Papers

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    I'm kind of 50/50 with this topic. I like blogs because it gives you a chance to better your writing. I like term papers because once you turn it in and get it back from the teacher you'll get a chance to see what you need to work on and what your stro...
  16. Shelbi Calhoun

    Blog Post 5

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    I’m really excited about our group Wiki project. I think since just about the whole class is working on the project now, it’s going to turn out really good. I think each group had did a really good job on their Wiki project, but as a class I know we can make them better, and get them to good article standard. I hope our article can meet good article standard and make Mrs. Sasser proud of us. Our fair use article wasn’t what it was supposed to be. We didn’t put what was supposed to be in the article. Since the whole class in now working on it, I know that it will have everything it needs to have in it. It made me feel really good today when everyone came to the library to work on our articles. That let me know that everyone really cares about this project and wants to make a good grade. I was very nervous when we were first given this project because I didn’t know what to expect from this project. I thought it was going to be very hard to do, but since I have started working on it, it’s actually very easy. I just hope the article turns out very good and meets good article standard.
  17. Bryce Davidson

    blog post 5

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    Hello readers of my blog posts. As we are still on the subject of things you learned and challanges you've had in the class. I'm going to write on my challanges and learnings of the wikipedia project so far.   Well startin...
  18. Dakota Hill

    There is such a thing as Good and Bad writers

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    In writing there is such a thing as good and bad writers. The category I would fall under is a bad writer. I know as you read this you think this person has no confidence, but I am just being honest. In the book On writing by Stephen King he says ...
  19. Christian Webb

    Class Picks Up.

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         Now that we have been assigned a group project, I am ready to excel. I feel like our class group can meet our goal, and make our article meet the good article standard. It seems like, to me anyways, that our group wants to suc...
  20. Ryan Smith

    Time Management

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    An aspect for me completing work is completing it on time. I do tend to forget about things unless I am currently working on them. I will remember them after they are supposed to be turned in just like Blog Post 3 was a forgotten assignment. I do belie...
  21. Ryan Smith

    Time Management

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    An aspect for me completing work is completing it on time. I do tend to forget about things unless I am currently working on them. I will remember them after they are supposed to be turned in just like Blog Post 3 was a forgotten assignment. I do belie...
  22. Bryce Davidson

    revised post 4

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      In this post I'm focusing on my length of posts.At the beginning of the day I sent in a blog process memo not thinking I had problems with the length of my writings. My goal is by the end of this post to know that I had succesfully learned how t...
  23. Torrence Grady

    Complete the Task!

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    What I have realized through many years of schooling, is that- a task must be completed! Class assignments are not given randomly to occupy a students time, or even waste it; but to instruct. When I was younger I would reason that if I skipped an assig...
  24. Alicia Kittles

    I feel like I’m not getting anywhere..

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    I feeling like I'm not getting anywhere when it comes to bettering my writing skills. Yes, I know writing blogs is a good helper but I also need a good instructor to push me into progress. I'd rather write an essay paper then keep up with an online blo...
  25. Melonie

    Writing—Anywhere?

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                 Non-stop, up and down, loopy loop, and spiral is the kind of roller coaster ride I have been on for the past two weeks. Since I started blogging for this class, I also have started back writing on my free time. It couldn’t have happen at a better time. Putting all my thoughts and feelings on paper has deducted a lot of stress. As busy as I have been, I have made time for writing. I have been constantly on the go. No matter where I go, I have been able to write. Saving my writings in my text messages, emails, or just using the classic pencil and pen have given me the ability to write everywhere. I love technology for giving me this convenience. Taking the time to write is making me a better writer. My imagination has been running wild. Writing in different places has really helped me to notice how different environments affect my writing. I am going to continue to write on my free time.
  26. Shelbi Calhoun

    shelbisharie 2012-01-31 17:24:00

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    Working in groups use to be a challenge for me. I used to always get stuck in the group with people that were slackers and didn't want to do work. I always ended up doing all the work by myself and that use to frustrate me. I didn't feel that it was ri...
  27. Chun Morris

    Sticking To The Topic!

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    One of my biggest challenges in writing is sticking to the topic. Depending on the length of the writing, sometimes you run out of things to talk about. As in one of my post before (writing about something interesting) plays a big part in this, if ther...

UMW Spring 2024 (Bond & Groom)

Welcome to Paul Bond and Jim Groom’s Spring 2024 ds106

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